by Sue Han
Contributing Writer

A huge, four-week calendar is reflected on a LCD screen. Next to it, on a blackboard, are pictures, symbols and words. Richard Jacobs (RJ), American Sign Language (ASL) professor, is standing in the light. The dialogue between him and his students is animated but silent.

“Do you like to play baseball?” asked RJ to his class. One student volunteer answered the question. She nodded her head. Using her fist, she said, “Yes.”

The conversation continued until most activities and dates on the calendar were covered. RJ has been teaching (ASL) at SCC since 1996. He is the only instructor who teaches ASL 101, 102, 103 and 201. Using his hands, body gestures, facial expressions, pictures and symbols, RJ signs to a group of students—most without any ASL background—and teaches them how to converse without speaking. He engages his class as he simulates real-life situations where ASL would need to be used.

“Being in the U.S. [for] almost 20 years, I never could tell the names of the 50 states,” said a student. “Now, thanks to ASL, I can not only tell the names of the states, but I also know most names of their capital cities.”

At the start of each quarter, RJ talks about his own life experiences.

“I grew up in Chicago,” he signed to the class. “I was born deaf, but both my parents are hearing.”

RJ’s parents didn’t accept that he was deaf. It wasn’t until the birth of his sister, who was also deaf, that they started to accept his condition and sent him to Wisconsin School for the Deaf, where he learned sign language. RJ was 9. This gave him the tools he needed to communicate with the world.

“It’s just like the Magic Tree House: Suddenly everything bloomed,” signed RJ. He wanted to tell people that it is so important for everyone to find the right way to learn. Only after being “accepted as deaf” did RJ get the chance to succeed in college and graduate school.

RJ drew a cartoon of his sister and explained that she received two Master’s degrees before age 23, and that his deaf brother-in-law is a lawyer. His brother-in-law’s two brothers and sister are also deaf. One brother is broker and the other is a well-known actor. His sister has a Ph.D in Deaf education.

“Deaf people can do anything except hear,” RJ wrote on the classroom board. This was what he wanted to say with his family’s story. In ASL class, nobody comes to RJ to complain. Instead, they ask themselves: “If those who can’t hear can do it, why can’t I, when I can hear?”

However, that doesn’t mean that understanding ASL is easy.

Among all the signs, the one RJ uses most is ”Practice.” It is one of the first signs that his class learns and it is the one they see every day. He rubs his fist on the side of his palm hard, again and again. His effort appears in his eyes and on his face. This was how he overcame his obstacles, and believes that if his students practice their signing, they’ll succeed too.

“Do you like sports?” a student signed to him.

“Yes,” RJ answered. “I was on a national handball team from 1991 to 1994, and I was the only member who was deaf.” Then he went to the map and told the class where he once competed, nationally and internationally. The team went to the Olympic Games in 1996. Unfortunately he was retired at that time because of a knee injury.

As discussion about the calendar went on, RJ moved the subject to real life: “What will you do this weekend?” he asked.

Students got active. They signed their plans to each other. Then a student asked RJ: “What will you do this weekend?”

“Shopping at…” He made the “S” sign with both hands and put them next to his ears, indicating “Sears.”

The class broke out in laughter. They understood his humor.

“No!” He denied his own joke with a funny face. “I will go to join an auction to raise money for ADWAS,” he signed. Then he wrote on the board that ADWAS stood for Abused Deaf Woman Advocacy Service.

“All the money raised in the auction will be used for helping abused deaf women,” explained RJ. With ADWAS, they have raised $8.7 million in the past 10 years and helped build a shelter on Roosevelt Way in 2006.

But don’t think that RJ ‘s concerns are only focused on deaf community.

One day, students were watching a deaf culture video, and RJ went back to his office to do some work. When he returned to the classroom, the video was still on. RJ opened the door and let himself in, making sure to close the door behind him inch by inch, hoping to not to make a sound. It was as if he didn’t want to bother anyone.

Time in class always passed quickly. When the hands of the clock reached 10:20 a.m., RJ wrapped up his class by delivering homework.

“See you tomorrow!” signed RJ. He flung his bag over his shoulder, keeping both hands free. Then he was off again, on the way to prove that he can do everything except hear.